Because of inadequate resistance, there is a substantial tendency for babies and young children seated in highchairs to slip downwardly in the seat, and sometimes to fall from the highchair as a result. The resultant movement is not only inconvenient, during feeding for example, but more importantly it subjects the child to discomfort and ultimately to the risk of serious injury.
Regardless of whether they are made of wood, plastic or metal, highchair seats virtually always have smooth surfaces, and hence offer little resistance to slippage of cloth or plastic thereover, as on diapers or clothing. Friction can of course be further diminished by wetness o contamination, as will often result from food and drink spills, or the like.
Difficulties similar to the foregoing are also experienced by seated adults who are infirm or for other reasons unable to maintain an erect seated posture.
Cushions and pads having anti-slip characteristics have previously been disclosed in the art. For example, Bedford U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,724 provides an open-cell foam pad having air-flow channels, said to function to dissipate excess body fluids or medicines. Various forms of seat cushions having apertures are disclosed in Hyde & Seaman U.S. Pat. No. 360,442, in Goldstein U.S. Pat. No. 2,931,427, in Steere, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,999, and in Trotman et al United States Design patent U.S. Pat. No. 262,590. Heckel et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,147,828, showing an exercise mat that includes a sheet or net of non-skid rubber or synthetic material, Varndell et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,906, and Bauer United States Design patent U.S. Pat. No. 117,862, are also of interest with respect to cushion and pad constructions.
Despite the activity in the art indicated by the foregoing, a need remains for simple and inexpensive means for counteracting the tendency for occupants of chairs, and in particular for babies in highchairs, to slip from an upright seated position, which means is readily assembled and disassembled and easy to use and clean, and is yet durable and effective for its intended purposes. Consequently, it is the object of the present invention to provide such means.